Noodle Theory | Rockridge

Third edit!!! I went again and Richard gave me extra noodles and remembered my name! Not sure if it was because of my annoying review below or if he’s just a nice guy (probs both)! I love this place and the people and am sad that I’ll be moving away and wont be walking distance anymore. I’ll still eat here as much as I can and support. ♥️ The Kimichi Udon Noodle was great as always! 6/20/2020 update: I still love this place. I visit them more than any other restaurant in the bay. I’ve been an uncountable number of times now. Today I was a bit disappointed with my portion of my Spicy Kimchi Udon Noodle meal, there was so little in there it didn’t cover the entire bottom of the box. My portions are always consistently healthy but this one was lacking. I am not going to update the star count bc I still love them but I may check my portion next time before leaving. Early 2020 update: I’ve eaten out from here four times since moving to the bay in January. They’re a 3 minute walk from me, but even if they were farther it wouldn’t matter. The food is consistently flavored and portioned and the people are always friendly. This past time I was there there was a mix up in the time I was quoted. I got there a few minutes after and the food still wasn’t ready. I did get upset (it was the first day of my period so I was hormonal and crampy), but they were still their usual nice selves and got me my food ASAP. Hoping trip number 5 will be me actually dining in there. :)

This place intrigued me with their unique menu. We started with crispy salmon rolls which were pretty good. The salmon was juicy and it was fried to a nice crisp. I’m not a huge mustard fan, but the spicy Chinese mustard dipping sauce was really good. We got 2 noodle dishes to try: grilled niman ranch spicy pork loin ramen in a peanut lime cilantro broth and also the grilled nieman ranch beef udon in a coconut lime curry broth. When we tried the noodles, both were really interesting. The noodles itself was really good, but the broth was really interesting. We couldn’t pinpoint what it was about it, but if it weren’t for the descriptions, I would not have guessed what the soup was. Overall, the noodles were good, the soup was confusing and the meats were just alright.

This is an awesome place to fill up our tummies in a very wholesome way. The dishes are delicately done with all the goodness of the ingredients thoughtfully put together. Definitely a place I will return over and over again. Kudos to the team at Noodle Theory!

When you go to Noodle Theory, don’t expect the rich, salty, umami-filled ramen bowls you’d find at Ippudo and Marufuku. Noodle Theory is in a different category of high quality, tasty, and flavorful noodle dishes (soup or not), each featuring a perfectly prepared protein and tasty broth. Their noodle soups feature a light broth filled with greens and a curly noodle (or substitute for udon or other flat noodle). Don’t miss their appetizers - the salmon roll stands out. And of course, their service is top notch, efficient, and table top warmers are icing on the cake for cold days.

The sauteed noodles were so good, I'm definitely going back again for more! The atmosphere was great, there was a line when we got there, no reservations allowed. There were plenty of options, especially for vegetarians and vegans. The price is standard for SF.

Interesting dishes. Had the steak curry noodle dish and chicken potstickers. Family had the salmon curry dish (not great) and the ramen pork belly (loved).

The service was very friendly, and on a weeknight around opening time was not crowded at all. The edamame amuse bouche was a nice touch. I had the duck breast with red Thai curry noodles, and the duck was cooked perfectly internally, though I could have used a touch more searing on the skin. The noodles were cooked perfectly, and the sauce was quite delicious. A bit more flavor would be nice, there was what looked like some Thai basil throughout, some more of that would help, and possibly a little more of the curry itself (though understandably I know worth curry most restarsunts try to keep the spice level moderate). These are small quibbles only, overall an excellent experience!

Kind of expensive. The area is safe and nice, near a Safeway and multiple coffee shops. Hectic at times, but parking generally not too bad. We parked 20’ from the entrance on 2/9/22. The spicy pork needs extra veggies. The garlic tofu noodles are super. The Udon, too.